sharples



g- 1941- L. P. SLIARPLES Re. 21,882

CENTRIFUGAL SEPARA'I'DR Original Filed Feb. 25, 1936 LAURENCED. Sumpues,

' A TTORNEY.

Reiuued Aug. 19, 1941 CENTRIFUGAL SEPABATOR Laurence Price Sharples, Ardmore, Pat, to The ,Sharples Corporation,

. Delaware assignor a corporation of Original No. 2,147,414, dated February 14, 1939, Serial No. 65,544, February 25, 1936. Applica-- tion for reissue July 28, 1939, Serial No. 287,070

7 '9 Claims. (01. 210-73) I The present invention pertainsto the centrifugal dehydration of solids and relates particularly to the provision of a centrifugal separator of improved construction designed to efiect removal of liquid from solids. An example of a separati'ng operation for which the -machine of the invention is especially suitable is the separation of mother liquor from crystals formed by the cooling of such liquor.

A diflicult problem has been encountered in openings I9 provided in the wall of. the rotor.

The novel features of the invention consist in a novelmember ll for receiving and discharging solids projected in a substantially tangential direction from the inner circumference of the upper end of the rotor. In the form of the in- I vention, illustrated in the drawing, thisnovel receiving and discharging member is illustrated the operation of machines of the prior art designed to perform separating functions oi this character by reason of the tendency of solids discharged from the centrifugal rotor to adhere to surfaces which they strike after such. discharge. In many'cases, a part of the solids discharged progressively build up in the form of a cake to such an extent as to efl'ectively block further discharge of solids from the rotor. The presentinvention is particularly concerned with the avoidance of this tendency of discharged solids to adhere to impacted surfaces.

This object is achieved by the provision of a special design of receiving and deflecting member adapted toreceive and discharge solids leaving the centrifugal rotor. Reference is made'to the attached drawing for illustration of the details of the invention and its principle of opera- 1 tion. In that drawing,- the singleflgure illustrates the parts associated with the rotor and upper end of a centrifugal separator illustrating the invention, the view being partly in cross section and partly in side elevation.

Referring to the drawingby reference charactors, a rotor I0 is illustrated which affords a plurality of successive separating stages. The general features of design of the machine by which as formed integrally with the casing I3, but it is to be understood that the invention is in no way limited to such integral formation of such receiving and deflecting member. As illustrated in the drawing, this novel member constitutes flange I6 whose upper surface lies in substantially the same plane as the plane of discharge of solids in the upper end II of the rotor, (horizontally, as illustrated), cylindrical deflector surface ll at the outer circumference of the horizontally extending flange I6 extending substantially at right angles to the plane of discharge and an overhanging lip l8 at the upper extremity of thecylinder l1. 1 An important feature of the invention consists in the fact that the flange I6 is of relatively narrow width and that the surface ll forming a continuation of the flange l6 accordingly lies in close proximity to the circumference of the rotor, and accordingly has a radius of curvature but slightlylarger than that of the rotor.

Experience has demonstrated that this relatively simple form of deflector member avoids the.

difliculties discussed above incident to adhesion the solids are dehydrated and discharged from I the upper end ll of the rotor may be of any known character, but these features are preferably similar to those illustrated in my prior Patent 2,095,206, granted October 5, 1937. The dehydrated solids are preferably discharged from the rotor by means of a plurality of plows I! which are arranged at an angle to the wall of the rotor and rotated at a speed slightly different from that of the rotor in order to discharge the solids in a manner well understood'in this art. Reference is made to the patent to Brewer No.

1,991,490 for a more detailed description of the 5 construction and principle of operation of plows of this character. Features ofrotor and plow design form no part of'the present invention.

A stationary casing ll surrounds the rotor and receivesthe liquid discharged therefrom through of discharged solids to surfaces impacted by such discharged solids in the operation of centrifugal extractors of this general type in prior art practice. In the operation of the machine illustrated in the drawing, solids discharged from the rapid ly rotating rotor ID are projected in a direction from the inner circumferenceof the upper wall ll of the rotor which is substantially tangential to the circumference of that wall. In view of the a fact that the vertical wall of the surface "of wall ll of the rotor. In view of this fact, solids the deflecting and discharging member ll is arranged in close proximity to the upper wall ll of the rotor, the circumference of the surface i1 is but slightly larger than that of the upper discharged tangentially from the upper wall of the rotor will strike the surface ll almost tangentially with respect to that wall; 1. e., the angle at which such solids will strike the wall in question is so slight that the solids will not cling to it. The fact that the wall II extends at right angles'to the plane of discharge of solids causes a retardation of the solids by friction prior to limited except by of the inwardly extended lip or flange I! also retards the tendency of these solids to be discharged over that wall. As the result of these two features of construction, the. solids after discharging from the rotor run for some distance around the circumference of the surface II where they lose velocity due to friction. They are then smoothly impelled over the flange II and outwardly into the zone between the casing II and the surrounding housing It.

Another factor which is believed to contribute to the advantageous result attained consists in the fact that the substantially tangential discharge of solids against the inner wall of the flange l1 effects an action analogous to sandblasting in removing previously discharged solids which may have adhered to that flange. The arrangement of the flange in question as illustrated in the drawing contributes importantly to this function, for the impingement of solids against the inner surface of the flange at only a slight angle with respect to that surface assists in the dislodgment of adhering solids and the fact that the flange I1 is very close to the upper wall ll of the rotor also assists in this dislodging function because of the fact that the discharged solids strike the flange ll before they have lost substantial velocity by air friction or otherwise, and these discharged solids accordingly strike the flange with sumcient force to dislodge any solids which may previously have admonium sulphate crystals by a centrifuge constructedin accordance with the invention in which the diameter of the circle described by the crystal discharging extremity of the wall II was 13 inches and the diameter of the circle described by the inner surface of the flange l1 was 14% inches.

Modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art and I do not. therefore wish to be the scope of the sub-joined claims. I claim:'

1. A centrifugal separator comprising a cendiameter of the inner wall of a 21,888 their discharge over the wall and the provision a substantially vertical concentric wall surrounding the solids discharging surface of the rotor over which wall solids are adapted to be discharged, said wall extending upwardly from the plane of the solids discharging surface of the rotor and having a radius of curvature at all solids receiving points thereof which is but slightly larger than the radius oi. curvature of the solids discharging surface of the rotor, and being of sufl'iciently small height to permit the discharge of solids upwardly thereover.

3. A centrifugal separator comprising a centrifugal rotor adapted to effect dehydration of,

solids and discharge of such solids from the rotor in a substantially horizontal plane under the infinance of centrifugal ,force during the rotation thereof, and a solids receiving member having a solids supporting surface substantially parallel to the plane of discharge of the solids and immediately beneath said plane and a wall over which solids are adapted to bedischarged forming a continuation of said solids supporting surface and extending upwardly at an angle with respect to said solids supporting surface, said wall being substantially concentric with the solids dischar ing surface of the rotor and lying in close proximity thereto, and being of sufliciently small height topermit the discharge of solids upwardly thereover.

4. A centrifugal separator comprising a centrifugal rotor adapted to effect dehydration-of solids and discharge of such solids from the rotor in a substantially horizontal plane under the influence of centrifugal force during the rotation thereof, and a solids receiving member having a"- solids supporting surface substantially parallel to the plane of discharge of the solids and immediately beneath, said plane and a wall over which solids are adapted to be discharged forming a trifugal rotor adapted to effect dehydration of solids and radial discharge of such solids from the rotor in a substantially horizontal plane under a the influence of centrifugal force during the retation thereof, and a solids receiving member having aconcentric wa'll surrounding the solids discharging surface of the rotor over which wall solids are adapted to be discharged, said wall extending upwardly from the plane of the rotor discharge and substantially at right angles thereto and having a radius of curvature at all solids receiving points thereof which is but slightly larger than the radius of curvature of the solids discharging surface of therotor, and being-of suiflciently small height to permit the discharge of solids upwardly thereover. v v

2. A centrifugal separator comprising a cenl trlfugal rotor adapted to effect dehydration of solidsand discharge of such solids from the rotor continuation of said solids supporting surface and extending'upwardly and substantially vertically, said wall being substantially concentric with the solids discharging surface of the rotor and lying in close proximity thereto, and being of sumciently small height vto permit the discharge of solids upwardly thereover.

5. A centrifugal separator comprising a centrifugal rotor adaptedto effect dehydration of solids and discharge of such solids from the rotor in a substantially horizontal plane under the influence of centrifugal force during the rotation thereof, and a solids receiving member having a solids supporting surface substantially parallel to the plane of discharge of the solids and immediately beneathv said plane, a wall over which solids are adapted to be discharged forming a continuation of said solids supporting surface and extending upwardly at an angle with respect to said solids supporting surface, said wall being substantially concentric with the solids discharging surface of the rotor and lying in close proximity thereto and having an overhanging arinular flange extending radially inwardly from the uppermost surface thereof, and being of sufficiently small height to permit the discharge of solids upwardly thereover.

-6. A centrifugal separator comprising a centrifugal rotor adapted to effect dehydration of in a substantially horizontal plane under the influence of centrifugal force during the rotation thereof, and a solids receiving member havin ":5

solids and discharge of such solids from the rotor in a substantially horizontal plane under the influence of centrifugal force during the rotation thereof, and a solids receiving member having a solids supporting surface substantially parallel to the plane of discharge of the solids and immeldiately beneath said plane, a wall over which continuation of said solids supporting suriace A sass: solidsareadaptedtobedischargedforminga,

and extending upwardly and substantially vertlcally, said wall being substantially concentric with the solids discharging surface of the rotor and lying in close proximity thereto, and being of sumciently small height to permit the discharge of solids upwardly thereover. and an overwardly from the uppermost surface of said wall.

'1. A centrifugal separator comprising a' centriiugal rotor adapted to eifect dehydration of solids and discharge of such solids from the rotor in a substantially horizontal plane under the influence of centrifugal force during the rotation thereof and a solids receiving member and concentric deflecting surfaces extending above the plane of solids discharged adapted to deflect said solids upwardly after discharge from said rotor. said deflecting surfaces lying in close proximity to the solids discharging surface of said rotor and being of sufllciently small height to permit the discharge of solids upwardly thereover.

8. A centrifugal separator comprising a centrifug'al rotor provided with a circumferential wall, means to feed a mixture of liquid and solids to the space within said circumferential wall to eifect dehydration of the solids, said rotor being provided with means for discharging liquid therefrom and for separately discharging solids under hanging annular flange extending radially in'' -thesolidsdisc the influence of centrifugal force in a plane which is substantially at right angles to the axis 'of said rotor, and a solids receiving member consisting of a circumferentialreceiving wall surrounding surface of said rotor, said circumferential being of suflicient length axially of the rotor to receive. and temporarily retain, circumferentially deflect and retard said solids, said circumferential wall havin a diameter which bears a ratio of not greater than 8:5

to the diameter of the solids discharging surface of the rotor, and said circumferential wall lying in such close proximity to the solids discharging surface of the rotor that solids discharged from the rotor in a direction which is tangential with respect to the discharging surface of the rotor strike said circumferential receiving wall in a substantially tangential direction vand are deflected annularly about the surfaceoi' said receiving wall in substantially the same plane as the plane of discharge of said solids from therotor.

9. A centrifugal separator as deflned in claim 8, in which the circumferential receiving wall is provided with a flange extending inwardly toward the rotor axis to assist in retaining the solids within said wall until said solids are retarded to a sumcient extent to avoid stickage upon discharge from said wall.

LAURENCE PRICE snaarm's, 

